Parelli journey - latest version :)

[annareeves0]

Having been a complete numpty and buying a horse when I soooo didnt know what I didnt know (I really thought it would all be easy!!!) I have spent the last nearly two years learning hard and fast everything I could about horsemanship and parelli has been a massive influence in this. How my journey has looked varies enormously - from the first fumblings when all I wanted to do was not get trampled to death, then several things have caused us to leap to another level, and of course the gradual process too. I think I have it, a while goes by and then I realise I had some of it, but actually theres a whole dimension I left out and need to start again. Its never that the information wasnt there - I wasnt ready to take it in

So thoroughly inspired by last weekends celebration, I have decided to have another go, starting back at the basics but from a better educated and more experienced perspective. My plan is to go back to the 7 games but this time to get much bettter at the release and therefore get much softer in my ask and hopefully get a much softer, quieter response.

My plans went to pot today - I did go and play with Rosie - we have ridden every session recently and played very few games so I deliberately left the saddle at home. I started by porcupining her around the mounting block - it as like pushing porridge uphill!!! I realised that I didnt have any treats so I go get them out the car and stuff them in my pocket and all of a sudden its like pushing a feather over water - beautiful! Blooming little monkey. I was laughing so much, the rest of it went a bit all over the place.

We did a new 'trick' today - we can do both front feet in a tyre but today started on hind feet. MUCH more challenging! I got one in in the end by leading a leg with a rope, treated and left it at that. We'll see what happens tomorrow

[EnduranceAli]

I hadn't played with Frayne for well over a year - well, hardly done anything structured with her (always using the 7 games to get her from stable to field etc). Now my plan to just have her at livery is well under way (only her and Kitti the Mini Shetland at home now - probably moving to livery on 1st December), I finally have the time and almost-energy to start on our Parelli journey again.

Halter, rope and carrot stick were dusted down, and we did some yo-yo, porcupine, circling and driving on the yard. Amazed at how much Frayne remembered and how willing she was to learn. She really seemed to enjoy it

Received the latest Savvy Club magazine yesterday and reading about all the new stuff really inspired me to move forward.

Ali xx

[annareeves0]

I have a couple of questions that I will highlight in bold if anyone has any ideas - otherwise Im just rambling!!!!!

Yesterday I was desperate to ride! I hadnt ridden in around 4/5 days and was at the point of being a bit snappy and grumpy having not had that pressure release Ah how quickly I've come to rely on it - but that's another story altogether...

Anyway so just as I pull into the field I realise I had forgotten my saddle. This may well have been a bit of a Freudian slip or it may have been the fact it lives in the car and I had taken it out as I needed the space and hadnt put it back. Either way it was bareback or nowt as I am way too lazy to go home again - its not the drive its the blooming in and out locking gates I cant be doing with!

Anyway I figure if I am going bare back I may as well go the whole hog and ride in the halter. I think although we use a Dr Cooks, its still really easy for me to yank it around and I do tend to be grabby if I am unsteady or a bit uptight. This is all very tentatively as my hat lives in the saddle bag

The first 5 mins was our usual jogging, fidgetting stuff. Anyone have any ideas what this is about? It is worst if I havent ridden the day before but she trots, jogs, fidgets, for the first time tried to bite my foot!!!! It kind of says 'get off!' She isnt keen on bareback especially now she is leaner and not so well padded I did get on very carefully although we had to have 'words' at the mounting block.

She fidgets at the mounting block - moves back, moves her hind end away etc. She knows what I want her to do but choses not to. The minute I get my carrot stick out and reposition her she stands in place smartly and stays there. No stick and she fidgets constantly. Is she trying to tell me she's not happy or just messing about until I insist?She's an LBI so I suspect the latter!

Actually the session went really well. Once she settled down after a few hind quarter yields that is She settled quickly and I concentrated on not holding on with me legs and absolute minimal reins - one finger butterflies only if I had to. We played 'touch it' which took her a while to figure out but it went well. We did a bit of weaving with only body language, did some backup (got as far as having to jiggle - she wasnt keen!) and did the s shape bends (to trec standard) with a twist of the wrist and a little leg only so very happy with that